A rich girl steals her dad's Rolls Royce and heads off to Las Vegas to get married. However, her angry parents, a jealous suitor, and a bunch of reward seekers are determined to stop her.

Grand Theft Auto is a 1977 American comedy road movie directed by Ron Howard. It was Howard's feature film directorial debut and features himself as Sam Freeman and Nancy Morgan as Paula Powers in the leading roles. The film takes its title from the crime grand theft auto, which is committed a number of times by several different characters. (wikipedia)

• When Roger Corman was testing titles for Eat My Dust, Grand Theft Auto came a close second as a possible title. So when making a follow up he decided to call it Grand Theft Auto.

• The film was made on a budget of $602,000. It was filmed in and around Victorville, California. Roger Corman worked as an executive producer, along with Rance Howard, who also co-wrote the script with Ron.

• The film was a commercial success, earning over $15 million at the box office, but critical reception was more mixed.

• According to an article on the show business trade news website Deadline Hollywood, a "supposed legal settlement" between original Grand Theft Auto movie producer Corman and Rockstar Games has precluded a movie version of their video-game series Grand Theft Auto. (The agreement also reportedly prohibits Corman and his successors from producing a Grand Theft Auto video game based on the 1977 film.)

• The first film to be shown three times in one day on HBO (shortly after HBO began broadcasting 24 hours).

• Ron Howard asked Roger Corman to hire more extras for the crowd scene at the end of the film. Corman said no because he did not want to go over budget.

• As a promotion for this movie, 16 magazine ran a contest and the winner received a trip to Hollywood and a bit part in the film. Her name was Caryn and she was the girl who catches the bouquet at Paula and Sam's wedding.

• Two Rolls-Royce cars were used in this film.

• All the scenes on the L.A. freeways were shot without permits.

• Ron Howard's wife Cheryl Howard did the catering on this film.

• Ron Howard lost 10-12 pounds during the shooting of this movie.

• The sequence with the pickup truck and the dynamite was added in post-production.